The Trigger
by sailor silvimoon
Summary: Set after Galaxia. Unknown to anybody, Usagi still held fears, and by innocent ride with his friend, Mamoru unintentionally trigger them.


Title:** THE TRIGGER**

Type: one-shot

Pairing: Mamoru and Usagi, Inner Senshi, Luna

Rating: K

Genre: General, Romance, Hurt/Comfort

Status: Complete

Chapters: 1

Summary: Set after Galaxia. Unknown to anybody, Usagi still held fears, and by innocent ride with his friend, Mamoru unintentionally trigger them.

AN/ This is my new one-shot. I wrote it in a day. The idea just pop into this little head of mine, and I started to write and write. Also, check the AN below.

This story was sitting on my computer a long time, and after one additional rewrite , I've decided to post it without proofing, so if you find any mistakes, I'm deeply sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.

/

Usagi was happy. It was Sunday and there was no school. She was heading toward the arcade where she was meeting her love, Mamoru. They planed a day just for themselves, probably a picnic outside the town. They have found that place a few months ago, and it was their special getaway place.

Everything was perfect in her life. She and her friends, Rei, Amy, Makoto and Minako just saved the world and Mamoru was back into her life, and everything was peaceful. Galaxia was gone, and there was no more evil lurking around to destroy the peace.

She entered the arcade; Mamoru was already there, talking with Motoki. When he noticed her, he gave her a quick kiss on her lips. Usagi frowned, but decided not to dwell about it.

''So, are you ready?'' she asked instead.

"I'm sorry Usako, but I totally forgot that I had previous planes. You see, couple of days ago, a college of mine told me that he was having a study group and I kinda accepted. I forgot it was today. Can we take a rein check?"

"Sure, it's ok. I'll just spend the day with the girls. No biggie! Go and study!"

"You are not mad?"

"Of course not! It's not that you have to spend every single moment with me! I won't say I'm not sad about it, because I am, but it is also important that you finish your school."

"Oh, Usa! I love you! You are a treasure! I'll make up to you, I promise!" Mamoru gave her a big kiss and left the arcade.

"You ARE a treasure, and that was very grown-up from you, Usagi." Motoki said, giving her her milkshake.

"I know! Who would have thought, right?" She said with a giggle.

She played Sailor V for a while, and then she headed toward the temple to spend some time with Rei.

On her way there she noticed a familiar figure on the motorcycle and ran toward it. However, she abruptly stopped in shock when she noticed that he wasn't alone. A girl with red hair was behind him, holding him close.

''Mamoru? I thought you said you have a study group.''

''I do, I just had to pick up a college of mine.''

''Right.'' Usagi said in sarcastic voice, which Mamoru recognized.

''You don't trust me?'' He asked. Hearing no answer, he spoke again. ''Usako?''

''I do. To a point.''

''What's that suppose to mean?''

''You have to admit that this situation looks familiar.''

"What do you mean? Oh!" Mamoru remembered what she was referring at. "Usako, this is not the same!"

"I don't care! Go and study with your new girlfriend!" She said, and with tears in her eyes, ran away.

"USAKO!" Mamoru yelled after her, but she didn't turned.

Mamoru debated whether to follow Usagi, or just go to his friend's house.

"Mamoru?" The red-haired girl asked, "Is everything ok?"

"I don't know. I hope so." He answered and sighed. "Let's go."

He tried then his bond with Usagi. "_Usako?_" He pleaded.

"_Leave me alone!_" She shouted through the bond, and then close it.

Mamoru couldn't believe it! She closed the bond! When he arrived at his friend's house, he tried to reach her on the cell phone, but she didn't answered. He couldn't concentrate on his study. He HAD to talk to her! Before she closed the bond, he could feel various emotions in her, mostly pain and betrayal. He called her every ten – fifteen minutes, but she didn't pick up.

/

Meanwhile, Usagi ran all the way to Rei's temple. She felt physically ill. When she closed the bond, she felt her heart rip apart. She took a deep breath, and entered the temple.

"Oh, hi Usagi! Come in! Can you wait for me in my room? I'm busy right now, but I'll try to hurry up!" Rei greeted her.

"No. It's ok. Take your time. Don't rush on my account. I kinda want to be alone." Usagi said, averting her eyes.

Rei raised a brow. Usagi was never this serious. And the fact that she wanted to be alone…

RING. RING. RING. Usagi's phone rang. She looked at the ID. Mamoru. She clicked at the close button.

"Ok. Spill. What is wrong?" Rei asked.

"Nothing."

"Usagi!" Rei warned.

"Why do you think that anything is wrong?" Usagi asked. "I'm fine! Everything is fine!"

"First of all, this is you, and…" Before she could finish, Usagi's phone rang again. This time Rei could see who was calling. Usagi again clicked the close button.

"What do you mean by this is not me? Do I always have to be smiling and happy? Look Rei, if you don't want me here, just say so. I'll go somewhere else!" Usagi snapped.

It was that precise moment that the rest of the girls arrived, and they heard Usagi's words. This was not their normal bickering. This was something deeper and more serious. Rei quickly recovered.

"No, no! Stay! Look, everyone else is here, so come in. I'll just finish this, and then I'll join you."

Everyone entered. The girls sat on the table, pulling out their books. Usagi, on the other hand, sat at the window seat. She pulled her legs against her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She rested her head on her knees, looking out the window. No one said a word and she was glad for it. She wanted to be alone, but alone within company. She was so confused. Where did this feelings came from? Her phone rang again. Mamoru. She sighed, and once again clicked the close button. How she wished she could turn it off completely, but she was waiting a call from her mother.

Rei came soon after, bringing the cookies and the tea. Usagi didn't even attempted to move.

"Usa? Don't you want the cookies?" Makoto asked.

"No."

"We are going to study now. Will you join us?" Amy tried.

"No."

During the next three hours, the girls studied, and from time to time, glanced at Usagi, who hasn't moved from her spot at the window. Her phone rang at least ten times, and every time after seeing it was Mamoru, she clicked the close button. However, this time, she answered.

"Hi mum! Yes, I'm here at Rei's. Ok, I'll ask them. I'm sure one of the girls can took me for one night. Oh, mum? If you want something from me, call me on Rei's phone. My battery is low, it will shut down. Ok. Bye, mum!"

Usagi closed the phone, completely shutting it down. That fact didn't escaped the girls. Rei spoke, before Minako could comment on it.

"You can stay here, if you want."

"Thanks Rei. Mum and dad are having some dinner at their friend's house, somewhere out of town, so they'll probably spend the night there. Shingo is also at his friend.

"You are always welcome here, you know?"

"Thanks Rei. I know." Usagi smiled, but everyone noticed that the smile didn't reached her eyes. "You can return to your studies. There will be no more calls." She added, returning to her previous posture.

"Yes. When you shut it down completely." Minako grumbled under breath.

If Usagi heard her, she didn't comment on it. The girls knew who was calling all this time, and they were worried. What in the world happened that Usagi didn't even wanted to talk with Mamoru? They suspected that they will find out soon. And they were right. Not a half hour later, they heard Usagi's ice tone, and looked up. Mamoru was standing at the doorway, looking like hell. Usagi was still looking through the window. She didn't have to turn, she sensed his presence a few minutes ago.

"What do you want?" Usagi asked icily.

"Usako. Please?"

"Did you enjoyed your time with her?" She asked, giving everybody a glimpse of what was going on.

"USAKO! I would never cheat on you! You are the one I love and want! You have to believe me!"

"Cheat? What are you talking about?" Minako asked, standing up with the rest of the girls. Even if the world is at peace, they felt protective over their friend and princess, and they will punish everyone who would hurt her. Even if that person was Mamoru.

Neither Usagi nor Mamoru acknowledged them. Rei glared at her, telling her to shut up. She wanted to know what was going on. Why was Usagi behaving this strangely.

"Maybe we weren't meant to be after all." Usagi mused aloud, causing everyone to gasp.

"USAKO! You don't mean that! Please look at me!" She was still looking through the window. Mamoru pleaded. "Usa? After everything, how can you doubt?"

That got her attention. She abruptly turned and screamed.

"THAT'S JUST IT! Everything we've been through! Maybe someone is trying to tell us that we weren't meant to be together! Every time I think I can finally be truly happy, something happens, and once again, I'm left alone. I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY MORE! Did you ever asked how that makes me feel? Did anybody? I'm tired of fighting for you, tired of running after you! I'm tired of always be this cheerful, happy and carefree person I always am! I find myself waiting for a sign that, once again, I'll be left alone, and the arrival of the new enemy who will kill you again or took you away from me."

"It's not my fault that Galaxia took my star seed." Mamoru said, looking at her. Tears started to form in his eyes. She was right. Nor he, nor the girls ever asked how she felt. They just assumed she is fine. She was hiding her fears and pain in side her. She was hiding them too well. He felt ashamed. How couldn't he seen this?

"No. You decided to leave before everything happened." She said bitterly.

There. There it was. Out in open. She finally admitted aloud. She didn't know why, but she wanted to hurt him.

"You said you were fine with me leaving." He said brokenly.

"I lied."

"You lied." He repeated slowly.

"Yes. I lied. I saw how the scholarship meant to you, and once again, I sacrifice myself for you. After all, who am I to stand in the way of your happiness. I tried to be strong, but after you left, I felt so alone it physically hurt. Day after day, I called you on the phone, and all I got was the voice machine. Day after day, for over a year, I wrote you a letter, begging you to come back. You never wrote back." By this point, she was crying.

"I couldn't." Mamoru whispered.

Every word that came from her, hurt him like hell. He never quite understood how she felt for him, and now he knew. He knew she loved him, hell, he loved her as well, but he never realized that she loved him that much. He felt undignified, unworthy and undeserved of her love. If she forgive him, he would spend the rest of his life making up to her. He made a silent wow in his mind.

"I'm sorry, Usako. I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm sorry for not being here for you."

"You left so easily. It was so easy for you to leave me alone." She whispered.

"You weren't alone. The girls were here. And you had Seiya by your side."

"Great Selene! Can you be more idiotic?" Minako grumbled. "Why bring him in this?"

Mamoru glared at her, and she shrugged. "F ine. Dig your own grave."

"What do you mean by that?" Usagi narrowed her eyes at him.

"Don't tell me that you didn't know how he felt for you?"

"Yes, I did. I knew how he felt. However, he was never more than a friend for me. He filled the void in my heart after you left, I admit it. And he loved me. Me. Not the princess. Me! Unlike some."

And once again, Mamoru felt like hell. Did she really thought that he loved her because of who they were, or who were going to be? Looking at her, standing before him, it hit him. She already thought so low of herself, why not add that too? He took a step close to her, lifted her chin to look her in the eyes. She had to believe him. She just had to.

"Usako. I love you. I don't care you are the princess, and I don't care about the Crystal Tokyo. I love you. You are the reason I live for. You are my happiness. You mean so much to me, that I can't describe it. I'm sorry for not showing it to you, and that will change. It wasn't easy for me to leave, but I learned to hide how I feel. I wanted to be a better man for you."

"I didn't care about that. I only needed you."

"I will never leave you again. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"This is the promise I intend to keep. I will never, never leave you again. I love you, and only you, Usako!"

"Truly?" She asked, looking deep into his eyes.

"Truly."

"And you, guys?" She asked the girls, looking at them.

They knew what she was asking, and they said. "You are our friend and sister first, then a princess. Maybe in our previous life that wasn't the case, but in this life this is how we feel."

"Truly?"

"Truly, Usagi."

For the first time since she arrived to the temple, they could see a smile forming in her eyes. She felt secure and loved. And all of the sudden, so tired.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling sleepy and I'm going to the bed. Good night." Usagi said yawning, and left the room.

Mamoru then told them what had happened in the morning. Rei came back, saying that Usagi is sleeping peacefully.

"Maybe the nightmares will stop now." Luna said, startling them. She and Artemis came before Mamoru did, so they have heard everything. Mamoru frowned.

"Nightmares? What nightmares? "

"She has them for years now. Ever since she become Sailor Moon. Most of the time she doesn't remember them, but it is awful to see. She screams and trashes all over the bed. She cries in her sleep. Mostly she dreams of your deaths. From the time in Silver Millennium, till now, the Galaxia." Luna explained.

"But why didn't she said anything?" Makoto asked.

"Please. As if you don't know her. She keeps everything inside, and it is slowly killing her." Luna said.

"Yes. Let us not forget how much time has passed till she finally admitted she hasn't heard from Mamoru since he left?" Minako said. Mamoru winced. It was a sore spot. He will never forgive himself for leaving her.

"I don't get only one thing." Minako said. "Why today?"

"I know why." Amy spoke. "You all heard what she said. She was looking for a sign that Mamoru is going to leave her alone again. When she saw him with his friend on the motorcycle, she remembered the last time that happened, and somehow it triggered all her fears she was keeping inside her. She was bound to blow sometime, and that was the last blow for her. It is not healthy too keep something like that for so long. I'm surprised she lasted this long."

"What can we do to help her?" Artemis asked.

"Just love her. She only needs our love, and she will heel soon. I'm sure." Minako said.

That night, Amy, Minako, Makoto, Rei, Mamoru, Luna and Artemis made a pact. They will show Usagi their love every day from now. She sacrificed so much for them, and it was the least they could do for her.

And they did. Usagi finally heeled. She no longer had nightmares, and she begun to believe again. Believe in better tomorrow, believe in herself, and believe that she will never again be alone.

The End

AN / So guys? What do you think? Do you love it? Hate it? Please review.

I have a confession to make. This was supposed to be a very short story in my new project. Kinda a collection of short stories and drabbles. But it turned to be a long one. Why can't I write short stories/drabbles? (this is me screaming at the heaven). My fingers hurt. (because I first write on the paper, then typing).

Anyway, enough of me. Now, please click on this little pretty button down there and drop me a line or two. He he! Se ya!


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